The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a legal process of punishment for crime. The Church views capital punishment as wrong and not necessary. It also believes that it is acceptable in only certain situations, which according to the pope is “when society has no other means of defending itself” (The Gospel of Life, number 56).
Even though the death penalty is believed by many to be inhuman and wrong, the Bible seems to support it in Genesis 9:6: “Whosoever shall shed man’s blood, his blood shall be shed; for man was made to the image of God.” God gave the Israelites who escaped from Egypt a code of law describing the death penalty.
When one human being kills another in cold blood, they are performing an act that does not naturally occur in nature. This kind of act is punishable by man, and anyone who makes the decision to commit this kind of a crime also makes the decision to accept the punishment that they deserve. God did not make humans in his image and likeness to go and hurt others who were created for the same purpose: to love each other and God, and spread God’s message to others. The death penalty gets rid of criminals who have no respect for human life. It also protects society from the danger of having that criminal around. Someone who might not support the death penalty may say that life in prison without parole could be considered a solution. But are there really that many prisons to hold so many people in them? If so, then isn’t there also the possibility that they may escape and perform the same crime over again?
The Essay on Capital Punishment Death God Penalty
... punishment is not a matter of choice or opinion poll, or even a governmental court issue. It is God's requirement. God established the death penalty ... states clearly that "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image." These two ...
The death penalty is known universally as a way of punishment for those who commit severe crimes. Anyone who willingly performs a severe crime must know that they may face the death penalty. If they decided to go ahead and perform the crime, ignoring the fact that they may be put to death, then we should have the right to give them the death penalty. This is because the criminal chose to ignore the law and did not think about any of the consequences, still knowing that they may face the death penalty. If we took away the death penalty, then many who did not think of performing a serious crime before may consider it now because they know that they will still be able to live on after they performed the crime. The death penalty can be used as a way to scare anyone who would be thinking of performing a serious crime from committing it. And if they do decide to still commit it, then that was their choice and we must give them the punishment that they deserve for choosing to go against nature.
